Over the last few days, New York’s Grand Central station has undergone one of its biggest transformations in decades. The dozens of advertising spaces that usually host advertisements of all kinds have been replaced by people as part of an immersive experience that has given prominence to an artistic project.
This is “Dear New York”, the exhibition that gives life to the new book by writer and photographer Brandon Stanton, known for his work photographing and interviewing hundreds of people who live in New York over the years. The content generated has been articulated in various books and, specifically, in “Humans of New York”, a storytelling platform with millions of followers.
The exhibition is a celebration of the diversity of New York City
His new publication comes to the market with an artistic installation that celebrates the city of New York through the portraits and stories of its inhabitants. Grand Central Station will host it from October 6th to October 19th, and includes different activities in collaboration with the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), the Juilliard School, the design consultancy Pentagram, the Korins audiovisual studio and the public schools of New York.
The exhibition not only includes Stanton’s work, but also the contributions of other artists and students of artistic institutions.
“‘Dear New York’ is based on a simple idea: this city is humanity itself. Every type of person is here: every ethnicity, every culture, every belief, every point of view.” Brandon Stanton commented in one of the many posts he has made on Instagram about the initiative. “In a world that can seem to be teetering on the edge, New York is still something to celebrate. Humanity is still something to celebrate”.
According to the website created for the project, “Dear New York” is organized on the three levels of the station. Thus, the main lobby offers an immersive projection on its screens that surrounds passers-by with dozens of photographs of New Yorkers, from the “Humans of New York” collection. Lasting twenty-two hours a day, this installation represents the most complete transformation of the space in Grand Central’s 117-year history. During off-peak hours, the experience features musical accompaniment from Juilliard-trained pianists.
On the other hand, the level that gives access to the subway and the platforms has been converted into a large gallery of photos and human stories, in collaboration with the Pentagram team. As Stanton explains, it represents the largest, most personalized vinyl installation in the history of the subway, whether commercial or artistic.
For the first time in history, all of Grand Central is completely free of advertising, as 150 digital screens traditionally dedicated to a mix of commercial advertising and public service announcements have been put in the service of art and a message that promotes diversity and humanity, not only of New York City, but of the entire world.
Additionally, in collaboration with the New York City Public Schools, Vanderbilt Hall hosts two separate photography exhibitions, designed by Korins Studio. One of them presents the work of ten professional photographers from New York who are dedicated to documenting their own communities; while the other includes the work of more than 600 New York students, selected through an open call, whose photographs present someone from their community who has had a positive impact.
According to Fast Company, Brandon Stanton has had to negotiate with Outfront Media, which manages 80% of the station’s advertising space. He has not revealed the figures, but he assures that he has financed the installation entirely with the savings he had accumulated over 15 years thanks to his photoblog and the book “Humans of New York.” The initiative has not had sponsors, and some of the collaborators have given their time and work altruistically.
More info.: Dear New York
